Time to get fit

Canis Lupus

Firstly, would a sticky be a decent idea in here for the complete beginner? Just handy hints about how to start of gently, what you should do etc etc?

Anyway new year is looming. I've moved to a big city and I'm falling over gyms. I've decided instead of being cramped in the house all the time I need to get out and maybe try to lose a bit of weight and get a bit fitter.

Firstly I'm 5'11" and 15 stone. I recently quit smoking and I'll hold my hand up and say I'm next to useless at anything cardiovascular, really really bad

So I'm gonna join a gym, yeah it might be just a fad but I'm gonna give it a serious go but never having gone to one before I'm a little nervous to say the least.

Does anyone have any helpful links to sites with fitness plans or ideas for what an unfit bloke like me should start off doing? I'm not looking to turn into Arnie over night but would like a little fat loss and a little muscle gain as well as raise my fitness levels but I also don't want to go in without a clue as to what I'm doing and just piss myself off by doing it wrong and not gaining from what I do. Will the instructors in the gym make out an exercise plan for me or what's the normal routine?

Basically any help on routines and handy hints would be very appreciated.

galwaydude

mate best of luck with it.I only joined the gym about a month ago and have lost 8 pounds since. I dont mind as my gym has sky sports so never get bored.

Im no gym junky so maybe you should get your fitness checked by an instructor when you join.They will devise a routine for you.

Canis Lupus

Okay, always wondered if you joined and they just let you at it. That's how stupid I am. My biggest fear is going in and exercising and looking like an idiot ya know, red face, approaching heart attack and all in the space of five minutes.....

galwaydude

i was the same.Dont worry about it. I just do my own thing in the gym. Once you have a routine stick to it and the pounds will fall off. My routine maybe flawed but i do the bike for 13 minutes, rowing machine for 10 minutes and the treadmill for 10 minutes. In between i do some weights as well. When you join get the instructor to show you how to use the machines and after a while you can move the intensity levels up a notch on the various machines when you are more comfortable.

Limerick Dude

it would be good if you have a friend who is in the gym with you, when im working out, sometimes i say ''oh fúck this'' but i have people working out with me and you get the support you need to keep at it!

ronbyrne2005

theres loads of websites showing your the proper way to do weight lifting exercises. start your time in gym with a warm up on an exercise bike.then depending on your goals do your weight training,stick to the basic exercises like bench press etc,maybe you should start with using machines in the gym rather than free weights as you cant go wrong with them,but freeweights are better when you have learned how to do them properly,ask the instructors in gym to make a programme for you and get them to show you how to do them properly,they are usually very happy to as they get bored sittting in the gym all day.

Limerick Dude

the ergometer(rowing machine) is a good machine to warm up on

Dragan

As you are joining a gym u suggest you take full advantage of whatever free plans and assesment they are willing to offer you.

I would also recommend that you kick things off slowly. A dramatic diet shift and the addition of lots of excercise can be extremely draining and lead to a possible injury. Remember, if you start hitting the weights, the first couple of weeks it is more of a strain on you tendons and ligaments than on your muscles and you will need to be careful.

All in all, the simple steps i would suggest are as follows.

1) Drink more water. Try and drink anywhere from 2 to 3 litres a day. The benchmark for knowing that you drink enough water is that you have four CLEAR urinations in the day, so most likely six of seven in total.

2) Clean up you diet, don't worry about timing your meals, or simple vs complex carbs to begin with. Just cut out the bad and you will be on the right path from the get go!

3) Choose a piece of cardio equipement that you enjoy, and that is very comfortable for you to use, and try and do about 20 to 30 mins three to four times a week. This will get your body used to the idea of excercise, and after about a 3 to 4 week period you can up the ante if you so wish!

4) If your gonna do weights, which i recommend as you burn more calories after weights than after cardio, go slow. Work on your form and you conditioning to begin with before you start to seek strenght. Sure, you see guys moving huge weight down the gym, but it took them time to develop that. Most people down the gym will be supportive that you are trying to make the difference in your life, so never be self concious of what you are doing. Once you are putting in the effort there is nothing to be ashamed of!!!

5) Give yourself a quantifiable goal. Do you want to fit into a certain pair of jeans or run a marathon. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it is something!!! This will give you something to focus on ,as opposed to going down the gym without a goal.

These should get you through you first month, allow you establish what your strengths will be and set your main goal. Sure, you can't run far now, but in a month you might love it and decide to try a half marathon next year, or you may decide that you want to try bodybuilding, or powerlifting or strongman.

It's easy to look at people who do these things with ease and feel daunted but remember, they are only human and like you, they had the first nervous walk out onto the weight room floor as well.

Best of luck my friend!

Canis Lupus

Cheers Dragan. Good advice there.

Mr E

Great post, Dragan.

Dragan

Heya Canis, to be honest with you, many people find the first month to be th easiest time to have themselves go, but it is the most important time to. If you can establish a good routine in the first four weeks, all of a sudden going to they gym just seems like a part of your life, and it becomes easier with time.

The important thing is that you are enjoying yourself. Remember, you will never want to go if you hate it, and there are a million things to do now in most gyms that are a great laugh. I have done spinning, bodyshock, boxercise, pilates.... all sorts of crazy things, just to be doing something different than plodding away on the treadmile. Next year i plan on doing a lot of Mixed Martial Arts as my cardio of choice. When you make it funs it's easy!